- Title: Cuba's opens its annual international film festival
- Date: 9th December 2016
- Summary: HAVANA, CUBA (DECEMBER 8, 2016) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** PEOPLE STANDING OUTSIDE KARL MARX THEATER WAITING INAUGURATION CEREMONY FOR THE 38TH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL OF HAVANA PEOPLE SEATED IN THEATER APPLAUDING INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL OF HAVANA PRESIDENT IVAN GIROUD WALKING ON STAGE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) IVAN GIROUD, INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL OF HAVANA PRESIDENT, SAYING: "The 38th edition of the festival, the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, the commander in chief, the Cuban intellectual Fidel Castro is not with us. (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) He was the driving factor of our festival and the inspiration behind the rise in the Foundation of New Latin American Film." AUDIENCE APPLAUDING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LESTER HAMLET, CUBAN FILM DIRECTOR, SAYING: "I think human beings with the far-reaching social and historic importance that Fidel Castro has had will always be in our work in some way, if not in biographical movies, there will always be films with reference to his breath, his legacy, what he made of us." PEOPLE ATTENDING FILM FESTIVAL POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPH EXTERIOR OF KARL MARX THEATER
- Embargoed: 24th December 2016 16:35
- Keywords: film festival Latin American film festival Karl Marx Theater
- Location: HAVANA, CUBA
- City: HAVANA, CUBA
- Country: Cuba
- Reuters ID: LVA0015C5Y1C3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Havana opened its annual International Film Festival on Thursday (December 8) with this year's edition dedicated to revolutionary leader Fidel Castro who died November 25.
Hundreds lined up to watch Argentina's Oscar-nominated "The Distinguished Citizen," directed by Gaston Duprat and Mariano Cohn and starring actor Oscar Martinez.
The film was shown at the inauguration ceremony at Karl Marx Theater where festival president Ivan Giroud highlighted the contributions of Castro, who he said was the force behind the successful event.
"The 38th edition of the festival, the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, the commander in chief, the Cuban intellectual Fidel Castro is not with us. He was the driving factor of our festival and the inspiration behind the rise in the Foundation of New Latin American Film," he said.
Cuban film director Lester Hamlet whose film "Ya No Es Antes" ("It is No Longer Before") is competing in the festival, said Castro's mark on Cuban film will always be felt.
"I think human beings with the far-reaching social and historic importance that Fidel Castro has had will always be in our work in some way, if not in biographical movies, there will always be films with reference to his breath, his legacy, what he made of us," he said.
The festival honoured Cuba's International Film and Television School of San Antonio de los Banos (EICTV), that was founded by Castro and Nobel prize winning Colombian author Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Held since 1979, the film festival lasts 10 days and hosts about 400 international movies competing in different categories in theaters throughout the Caribbean capital.
According to Cuban media, U.S. filmmakers Oliver Stone and Brian de Palma are expected to attend. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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